Reheated-coffee-reading.

Glad you found us!

I don't ski, I don't drink craft beer and I don't have a dog, but by golly I am a real Colorado native girl. So now you can still believe in unicorns! Here's my ode to motherhood, you know because all of us bloggers write like we were the first, only and last mama out there.

Nov 7 Talk to Strangers

The girls were keeping busy while we waited with pens and memo pads from my trusty mail bag. Joan was a beautiful woman with a gray coif and a long wool coat. She peered over and asked the girls if they were writing their names looking at their practice cursive. She complimented them and said what long, pretty names they had. Arlo piped up and said, "That's not my name! I'm Arlo!" Remy quickly introduced herself too. That's how we met Joan.

We started the normal chitter chatter. She mentioned they looked very close in age and then she shared that she had four children all about two years apart. I learned that her husband had passed away during active duty when she was pregnant with her fourth, a boy. She was 86, and fabulous.

I was stunned! Her blue eyes sparkled, her skin was pink, plump and moist and she was so put together, sharp and most noticeable...HAPPY! I said how wonderful she looked, "Well thank you! I love compliments!" The sweetest... I told her she must look so well because she is happy. She stopped and sort of looked up to the corner and said, "Well yes, yes I think that's it. I am very happy. I have a nice life. I have nothing to complain about. I have four children who are wonderful."

Find yourself something that makes you feel and look as happy as a Joan.

Going nowhere in particular, adventuring on South Broadway in Denver, twirling in an alleyway and discovering a crepe place, popping in thrift shops and discovering treasure with these two keeps me feeling like a Joan. Seeing Remy's brown eyes twinkle and her little lips curl up, excited to see a DJ play music at the crepe place because, "I never saw a real DJ before momma! It's like from Trolls movie..." Getting down on the floor, shrieking and getting excitable with them over old toys I had myself growing up, this is what keeps my happy tank full. On Sunday Remy said, "Momma, you're like a kid again!" This was when we were on the floor of an old shop surrounded by vintage My Little Ponies and Cabbage Patches. Sunday was a fun afternoon.

Hope my happy spreads across my cheeks well into my eighties, shining bright enough for strangers to comment while they wait to mail a package. Thanks, Joan.

...Glo

Wearing a thrifted vintage vintage dress and belt, but here is a very similar style from Old Navy! My boots by Clark's old and still going strong, but eyeing this brown pair by them for an update. My purse is Rebecca Minkoff from 2011, before I got married, but this sleek newer version at Nordstrom Rack is darling! Arlo is wearing a thrifted tutu (similar) and a sweater from H&M, a couple years old now, but this Eye sweater from Kenzo has the same poppy feel. Moon and Stars tee similar to Remy's dress here.